Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 131

Real religion and bogus non-religion

Real dharma is sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [BG 18.66]. This is dharma. All bogus type of dharma – Hindu religion, Muslim religion, this religion, that religion – they are not dharma. Therefore it is said here, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. Parah means Supreme. What is that? Yato bhaktir adhoksaje, “Wherein this is taught, ‘Just surrender to the Supreme Lord, Krishna,’ that is first-class religion.” All other religions, they are bogus. That is not religion.

Srila Prabhupada, SB 1.2.6, Calcutta, February 26, 1974

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America has got good potentiality to save the world

So you all, boys and girls, those who have come from America, I am very much thankful to you. But don’t be less serious. Be very serious. And another thing I’ll request especially to the Americans, that America has got good potentiality to save the world, so if you preach very nicely in your country… And not all of them will be interested, but if a section of men in your country, you can turn them to become Krsna conscious, it will be great benefit to the whole world. But the aim is the same, punar-janma-jayaya: to gain victory over this process of birth, death and old age. This is not fiction; this is fact. People are not serious. But you can teach your people; otherwise, the whole human society is at risk. They are like animals.

Srila Prabhupada, Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.11 — Mayapur, April 4, 1975

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The Spiritual Master principle

In the absolute world there is no distinction as me, or he, and I. Krishna and His representative is the same. Just like Krishna can be present simultaneously in millions of places. Similarly, the Spiritual Master also can be present wherever the disciple wants. A Spiritual Master is the principle, not the body. Just like a television can be seen in thousands of places by the principle of relay monitoring.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Malati — Allston, Mass 28 May, 1968

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Be ideal, not like a hog

You yourself must be ideal in following the rules and regulations, rising early, and restricting eating and sleeping. The less a person is concerned with material enjoyment such as eating, sex and sleeping, the more he is spiritually advanced. If the “devotee” himself lives like a hog or dog how can he preach?

Srila Prabhupada; letter, 26 Jan 1977

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Sharpen Your Weapon by the Instruction of the Spiritual Master

By serving the spiritual master, you keep your weapon always sharpened. And then take help from Krsna, the words of spiritual master sharpen weapon and yasya prasadad bhagavata…, and the spiritual master is happy, then Krsna immediately will help. He gives you strength.

Suppose you have got a sword, sharpened sword, but if you have no strength, what will you do with the sword? Krsna will give you the strength, how to fight and kill the enemies. Everything is described. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu (said) guru-Krsna-krpaya (CC Madhya 19.151), make your weapon sharpened by the instruction of the spiritual master and then Krsna will give you strength, you’ll be able to conquer.”

-Srila Prabhupada, Room Conversation; May 7, 1976, Honolulu

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Murder conspiracy

According to Manu, the great author of civic codes and religious principles, even the killer of an animal is to be considered a murderer because animal food is never meant for the civilized man, whose prime duty is to prepare himself for going back to Godhead. He says that in the act of killing an animal there is a regular conspiracy by the party of sinners, and that all of them are liable to be punished as murderers exactly like a party of conspirators who kill a human being combinedly. He who gives permission, he who kills the animal, he who sells the slaughtered animal, he who cooks the animal, he who administers distribution of the foodstuff, and at last he who eats such cooked animal food are all murderers, and all of them are liable to be punished by the laws of nature.

From Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 1.7.37

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Srila Prabhupada’s order to preach about varnasrama-dharma

Preach on the basis of the division of the society into four orders, as without this the society is useless and people cannot be happy or even have the necessities of life.

Srila Prabhupada, Letter, 29 April, 1974

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Attachment should be transferred to Krsna

Asakti, that tendency of attachment, should be transferred to Krsna. That is Vrndavana life. In Vrndavana the center of asakti is Krsna. There is Nanda Maharaja, Yasoda — they have asakti to Krsna. The young girls, they have got asakti to Krsna. The cowherd boys, they have got asakti to Krsna. The trees, they have got asakti to Krsna. The fruits, flowers, they have got asakti to Krsna. The water, Yamuna River, the asakti to Krsna. So if we make our central point of asakti, then you can create Vrndavana everywhere.

Srila Prabhupada – December 27, 1975

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“Skin disease” i.e. racialism

Devotees do not suffer from skin disease, black or white or brown or red or whatever. In the material world black and white are opposites, but spiritually black and white are varieties. That is the proper vision.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Bhumata — 10 March, 1973

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Anthropologist

At another program a bearded American anthropologist rode up on a motorcycle to attend Prabhupada’s lecture and kirtana. Afterward, the anthropologist told Srila Prabhupada that he had come to India to study the primitive tribes. Prabhupada told him it was simply a waste of time. “Why do you want to study the primitive people?” he asked. “Why don’t you study the exalted people?” And Prabhupada narrated a story:

One time a poor man roasted a cob of corn and then began picking off the kernels one at a time and eating them. In this way it took him many hours to finish. He did this, Prabhupada said, because he had nothing else to do, just to pass the time of day. In the same way, the study of anthropology was simply a waste of time. Prabhupada asked, “Why don’t you study some person or group of persons from whom you can learn something?”

(From Srila Prabhupada lilamrta)

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